In a typical printer, media trays store media sheets within the printer. During the printing cycle, a media transport system retrieves media sheets from an input media tray, routes the media sheets along a media path to receive and fix an image on the media sheets, and transports the media sheets to an output media tray or bin for collection by a user. The media path in most printers is formed by a series of printer subsystems coupled to a printer frame in a way that enables a media sheet to be transported through the subsystems and their interfaces. For example, a printer may include a subsystem for stripping media sheets from the input media tray; an imaging subsystem for applying and fixing an image to the media sheets; a finishing subsystem that may staple, stack, or collate media sheets; and an exit path subsystem for selectively routing media sheets with an image thereon to either the output media tray or the finishing subsystem.
Each printer subsystem requires a combination of components, such as motors, lamps, charging devices, fusing rolls, drive rollers, idler rollers, or other electromechanical devices. In some printers, the components forming each subsystem are attached to the printer frame individually, a process referred to herein as a piecemeal assembly process. For instance, the imaging subsystem of a printer may contain many components and each component may require an individual connection, configuration, and alignment in order to enable the imaging subsystem to function properly and to cooperate with the other printer subsystems.
Even though the media path of a printer may be described as a series of subsystems, often the piecemeal assembly process blurs the integrity of the subsystems and the physical distinction between subsystems. Specifically, the location and connection of the individual subsystem components may result in an overlap between printer subsystems and a meshing of the individual subsystems with the surrounding subsystems. Thus, one printer subsystem is difficult to distinguish from another subsystem. While the piecemeal assembly process of printer subsystems results in an operable and functional printer, identification of subsystem interfaces may be difficult.